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An 25-year-old man from Pennsylvania,USA has become an Instagram sensation as one of the shortest body builders in the world at just 4’1”.
With more than 35,000 followers on the photo-sharing platform – where he goes by the name of “mini hulk” – Vince Brasco has a condition known as acondroplasia.
It is the most common form of dwarfism whereby the arms and legs are shorter than the average person but the torso is the same size.
“I started competing because with dwarfism, a lot of people have a weight problem and I did not want to be like that,” the inspirational gym buff told Strength Addicts.
He explained that he wanted to be a role model to others with dwarfism, setting an example for those who feel unable to pursue a dream due to the limitations imposed by their condition.
After weeks of professional coaching, Brasco was able to lose a significant amount of body fat and build his strength gradually.
He cites fellow body builders Phil Heath, Jay Cutler and Kai Greene as his role models and can now bench-press more than three times his own weight (6st 3lb), lifting 19 stone.
Despite his roaring success – Brasco has successfully competed in a string of professional bodybuilding competitions – he confesses that he still encounters prejudice due to his size.
“Discrimination is always in the air when I am around,” he revealed.
“I never let it get to me because they are not in my shoes and I will never stop doing something I love because of someone’s petty bullsh*t. I will keep being the best I can be and if you do not like it then it does not bother me,” he told Strength Addicts.
Brasco – who has had 15 major surgeries to combat health problems associated with his dwarfism – now trains almost every day with a private coach.
In addition to bodybuilding, he is the world’s shortest fire fighter and has volunteered at his local fire sation in Pennsylvania for the last four years, where he is responsible for manning the water pipes amidst structural fires.
‘Because I can lift so much, I’m handy at salvage jobs where we have to move heavy bits of metal debris – like after car accidents. And it means I can be part of the line of men using a hose. If you weren’t strong enough that thing would fly out of control,’ Brasco told the Mail Online.